Railway safety device.



J. JOHNSON.

RAILWAY SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 191s.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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Witnemo .j/zmfdmdam v 3% 6m J. JOHNSON.

RAILWAY SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLIOATION IILED Ammz, 1913.

1,087,773. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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v Jiuz fohmorz mym J. JOHNSON.

RAILWAY SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17; 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOHNSON, OF HAZELDELL, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SAFETY DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jenn JonNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazeldell, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Safety Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention'relates to improvements in means for preventing the wheels of rolling stock, such as railway coaches, from jumping the tracks as well as the provision of means whereby the device may be raised above the rails when the coach or vehicle enters frogs, and under other conditions.

Broadly, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings there is illustrated a satisfactory reduction of my improvement to practice, the nature of the improvement, however, renders the important instrumentalities thereof susceptible to various forms of construction, all of which, however, fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings :-*Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the improvement, and showing the same engaging with a rail. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view for illustrating the device out of engagement with the rail and raised above the rail. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view upon the line 88 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is an enlarged sectional view taken through the valve. Fig. 5 is a vertical. transverse sectional view through a modified form of the device, and illustrating by dotted lines the engaging members forced away from the rail. Fig. 6 is a similar section but illustrating the device raised above the rail. Fig. 7 a sectional view upon the line 0cm of Fig. Fig. 8 is a detail section through the arms 13 and 1 1 and illustrating the elongated slots in the fingers 17 which receive the pointed end of the piston rod 23.

Referring now to the drawings in detail the numeral 1 designates an ordinary railway rail, and :2 a portion of a coach or other vehicle whose wheels are adapted to travel upon the rail.

Secured to the underframe of the vehicle 2, directly above the track 1, and through the medium of depending bracket members 3 is a casing 1. This casing embodies a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. April 22, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Serial No. 762,860.

closed top and an open bottom, the said bottom having its edge inturned to provide an annular bead 5. Arranged within the cylindrical casing 1 is a flanged top portion 6 of a cylinder 7 the head 5 of the casing 4-, and the flange 6 of the cylinder 7 adapted to serve as stop members for preventing the removal of the cylinder from the casing. The body of the cylinder may be frictionally engaged by the inner face of the annular bead 5, while the flanged body 6 may like-wise engage with the inner Wheel of the cylindrical casing 4. The frictional contact of these members, however, not being suflicient to interfere with the free movement of the cylinder within the casing, but such an arrangement serves to retain the cylinder against wabbling and in proper position with rela tion to the casing and to the parts attached to the cylinder.

lnterposed between the top wall of the cylinder 7 and the inner top wall of the casing 4 is a buffer 8 which is illustrated in the form of a helical spring. This spring is adapted to exert only sufficient tensioning to retain the flange 6 in a proper position within the casing 4, and does not force the said flange against the head 5.

The cylinder 7 is formed with both a closed top and bottom, and the said cylinder, at its bottom, which may be designated by the numeral 9 has secured thereto, or may be integrally formed with two diametricallv opposite plates or bracket members 10 each of which being provided with a registering opening 11, through which passes a pintle 12 which connects two curved or arcuate arms 13 and 14 respectively. It is to be understood that the plates or brackets 10 are arranged a suitable distance above the top of the rail 1, and the arms 13 and l t are of a sufficient length to have their ends terminate below the head of the rail when the said arms are in the position illustrated in the figure of the drawings. The arms adjacent their cnds are each provided with an inturned axle 15 upon each of which is mounted a substantially cone-shaped guide wheel 16, and these guide wheels are adapted to be arranged directly below the ball or head of the rail to the opposite sides of the said rail. The arms 18 and 14 have their inner faces provided each with an inwardly extending finger 17, the finger of the arm 13 being adapted to underlie the finger of the arm 14, and the said fingers are disposed a suitable distance above the top or tread of the rail 1. The ends of these fingers l7 prject a suitable distance beyond the center of the rail 1, so that the end of the finger of the arm 13 extends below the end of the finger of arm 14. These finger ends are provided each with an elongated slot 18 when the device is in the position shown in Fig. l, the purpose of which arrangement will presently be described.

Pivotally connected, to one of each of the arms 13 and 1t, and adjacent the hinged connections of the said arms are links 19 and 20, and the free ends of these links are pivotally connected as at 21.

Arranged within the cylinder 7 is a piston head 22 that is provided with a piston rod 23 that extends through suitable packing in the lower or bottom wall of a cylinder. The rod 23 is connected as at 24 to the pivot 21 which connects the links l9 and 20, and the Portion of the rod extending beyond the said pivot is preferably pointed as indicated by the numeral 25, and said pointed end is adapted to be received within the slots 18 of the fingers 17 of the arms 13 and 14 when the device is in locked position and in engagement with the rail.

Suitably located within the cab of the engine to which the device is attached is a valve 26 which at all times communicates with a branch 27 from the main air pipe of the train line. The valve 26 is provided with two curved passages 28 and 29 respectively, and the valve casing is formed with right angularly arranged ports four in number and described by numerals 30, 81, 32 and 33 respectively. The pipe 27 conn-ects with the port 30, while connected with the port 31 is'a flexible pipe Set which enters the cylinder 7 at the bottom thereof, or below the piston head 22.

The numeral 13 designates a flexible pipe which also enters the cylinder 7, but above the piston head 22.

As shown in the drawing a fluid is directed from the pipe 27 through the passage 28 of the valve and delivered through the pipe 35 to the cylinder 7, above the head of the pistomand the pressure thereof sustains the piston head in its lowered posi tion, and as a consequence the device in its rail engaging position, and the arms 13 and 1st securely located by the piston rod engaging within the slots of the fingers 17. hen a sufficient pressure is obtained the valve may be rotated to bring its passages 28 and 29 at registry within the ports in the valve casing, or, if desired, the cylinder 7 may be provided with usual bleed ports so that an excess pressure by the finid may find an outlet.

We will now suppose that the coach or vehicleis nearing a frog or switch and it is desirable to bring the device out of engage ment with the rail and above the heads of the rail. The valve is rotated so that its passage 29 communicates with the ports 30 and 31. This will bring the passage 28 into register with the ports S2and 33 to allow the fluid in the cylinder above the head, 22 to find an exhaust through the port 32, and will direct the fiuid from the pipe 27 through the pipe 3% to below the piston head which, acting upon the outer face of the said piston, will raise the same within the cylinder, causing the parts to assume the position illustrated in F'g. 2 of the drawings. it will be noted that when the device is in its lowered position, the fluid first sustained below the head 33 will find an eXit through its pipe 3%, the passage 29 and the port In Figs. 5 to 7 T have illustrated a modified form of the device. In these figures a casing 35 is supported upon the under frame of the coach or vehicle in a manner substan tially similar to that hereinbefore described. The casing is substantially similar to the cylinder 4, the same having its lower and open face provided with. an annular inturned bead 36, and the cylinder 3'? is also substantially similar in construction to the cylinder 7, the same having its upper and closed head formed with a flange 83 which may be provided with packing rings 39 so that the same will closely engage with the cylindrical bore of the casing The bead may comprise a removable member, and this ring has its inner face also provided with packing rings 4L0 which frictionally engage with the outer round face of the cylinder 3?. Either the bead 4:0 or the flange may be irovided with lugs 41 which will prevent the flange and bead proper contacting' with each other, for a purpose which will presently be set forth. The cylinder 37 is provided with depending plates or brackets 42, substantially similar to the brackets or plates 10 of the cylinder 7, and the said cylinder provides a chamber d3 which is closed at both its top and bottom. Arranged within the chamber d3 1s a piston head 4% iii-wing a stem which extends through a suitable packing box in the lower wall of the chamber. The rod or stem l5 has its end provided with a substantially f-shaped member The it-shaped member, adjac nt its connection with the stem 4-5 is ormed with a slot or opening d7 within hich is 'eceived the opposite ends of oppo i ely disposed rods 48 and d9 respectively. --ach of these rods is pivotally connected as 56 to each of the depending plates or rackets 42, and each of the said rods, be ond its pivot has a loosely connected link l which is secured to the tail portion of a .ocking dog The locking dogs 53 are pivotally connected with one of the said dogs extends inwardly beyond its plate 42, the ends of the said inwardly extending portions being upset to provide engaging fingers or teeth 54. The numerals 55 desi,,;- nate light springs which are connected with each of the dogs 53 and with each of the plates 42, the said springs being arranged within the pivots and the engaging" teeth of the dogs, to force said teeth upwardly or toward the cylinder 37. The plates 42 are provided each with a substantially rectangular opening 56, which are adapted to receive the respective upper members 57 of L shaped arms 58. he arms have their straight or vertical portions terminating below the head of a rail 59, and it may here be stated, that, as in the device heretofore described, the present structure is arranged directly above the rail 59. The vertical members of the arms 58, have their lower ends provided with inwardly projecting axles 60 upon each of which is mounted a cone shaped antifriction roller 61 which are adapted to be disposed directly below the opposite faces of the head of the rail 59, and in close proximity therewith, but not in actual contact, and connecting; the vertical members of the arms 58 and arranged above the head of the rail 59 is a contractile spring ('32 which is adapted to bring the ends oi. the horizontal members 57 of the arms 58 into contacting engagement with each other, which engagement limits the inner movement of the roller 61, so that neither the shafts nor rollers can contact with the web of the rails. The ends of the members 57, of the arms 58 have their upper portions mounted as indicated by the numerals 63 and 64, and the apex of the sub-- stantially xi-shaped member 46 is disposed directly above the said upper beveled ends or the memb rs 57 of the arms 58. The lower faces of the members 57, at the ends of the said. members are formed with lugs 65 which serve as means for preventing the arms from being removed from the plates 42 of the cylinder 37. The under-faces of the members 57 of the arms are further provided with notches or depressions 66 and 67 which are adapted to serve for the reception of the toothed ends 54: of the dogs 53 to hold the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Inside of the lugs ii, arranged between the bead or lip 14: and the flange 38, the cylinder 37 may be provided with a helical spring 68, as shown in 6 of the drawings, and likewise the stem 45 of the piston head 44 may be surrounded by a coiled expansion spring 69, the purpose of which arrangement will be presently set forth. The casing 35 is provided with upper and lower ports 70 and 71 re spectively, each of the ports being" provided with flexible pipes 72 and 73 respectively, and each of the said pipes is connected with a valve 7 l, which is similar in construc" tion to the valve illustrated in Fig. 4t of the drawings and previously described. The valve is, of course, connected with the fluid pipe which may be a branch from the main air line, and as the operation of the valve has been previously set forth in detail and as stated the structure of the valve 7a is similar to that of the valve 26, a detailed description of the operation of the valve for directing the fluid both above and below the flange or head 38 of the cylinder 37 is not deemed necessary. It will, 01"- course, be obvious that when the fluid is directed through the pipe 73, below the head 38, the cylinder will be raised within the casing 35, and that when the fluid is directed through the pipe 72 through the port 7 0 above the cylinder head, the cylinder 37 will be forced in a reverse direction or downwardly oi"- the casing 35, the cylinder may be provided with bleed ports as well as permitting for the escape of compressed fluid, as previously set forth. The chamber as of the cylinder 37 is also provided with ports 75 and 76, the port 75 entering above the piston head a l and being provided with a flexible pipe 77 while the port 76 is provided with a similar flexible pipe 78, and each of these pipes leads to suitable ports in a valve 79. The valve 79 is similar to the valves 7-1 and 26, and, in the operation of the device, now being described, the valve 79, (assuming; that the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings,) is operated to per mit of the fluid passing through the pipe 77 to within the port 75, above the piston head 44, the fluid below the piston head escaping through the pipe 78, as will readily be raider-stood, the fluid acting upon the top of the head 4L4: will cause the rod or stem to to travel downwardly between the plates secured to the cylinder 37, the V-shaped member 76, through the arrangement of the beveled edges 63 and 64. at the upper ends of the members 57 of the arms 58, are permitted a limited downward movement be fore contacting between the said ends. This movement is suilicient to swing the rods 48 and 4-9 upon their pivots 50, to draw the rods or links 51 in an upward direction, to swing; the locking dog's upon their pivots, against the tension of their springs to cause the teeth thereof to be withdrawn from the notches or boxes 68 and 67 in the members 57 of the arms 58. A further downward movement of the spreading; member 46 will cause the arms to he slid in opposite directions from the rails, against the tension of their s iiring 62, to bring the roller 61 out of the path of engagement with the under faces of the tread. of the rail. lVhen this is accomplished the valve 74: is operative to direct the fluid through the pipe 73 and port '71 below the flange or head 38 or" the cylinder 37, causing the cylinder to be moved upwardly within the casing 35, the compressed air previously retained within the upper portion of the cylinder finding an exit through the bleed ports as well as through the pipes 7, and the port of the valve leading to the atmosphere. Yi' hen the device is again to be applied for sustaining the rails against accidental displacement, the arms 58 are sustained in their spread position, the compressed air is exhausted through the bleed ports and pipe 73 and directed to within the casing through the pipe 72 and port 70, and the cylinder forced to its lower position. The compressed fluid is then exhausted through the port '75 and pipe 77, as well as tirough the bleed ports and the air is admitted through the pipe 78 and port 76 to below the head 45!, which returns the members to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 or" the drawings.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity of the device as well as the advantages thereof, will, it is thought be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to wiich such inventions pertain without further detailed description.

Hay 'ng thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cylinder for the casing and arranged for longitudinal movement 'ithin the casing, a pair of arms arranged in opposite directions and pivotally connected with the cylinder, antifrictional rollers upon the arms, a piston head within the cylinder and rod for the piston head and extending below the cylinder, links connected with the arms and with the piston head, fingers con nected wi h the arm and having over-lap ping ends provided with slots, fluid means for operating the piston to force the arms together and the end of the piston rod within the slots of the fingers, when operated in one direction, and to raise the piston to spread the links and to raise the rod out of engagement with the fingers.

2. in a device for preventing wheels of rolling stock jumping a track, including a casing secured to the body of a vehicle and arranged above the track, a cylinder mounted for movement within the casing, a spring between the cylinder and easing, the casing having a chamber and plates extending tron the chamber, a pair of irregularly shaped arms having their upper portions arranged between the plates and their lower portions provided with antifrictional members which are adapted to be normally sustained beneath the head of a rail to the opposite sides of a web of a rail, a piston within the chamber of a cylinder, said piston having a stem extending through the same, locking means for the arms, spreading means for the arms, a fluid pipe connection with the chamber for raising or lowering the piston, and the said locking and spreading means adapted to be actuated by the means connected with the stem of the piston.

3. in a device for sustaining the wheels of rolling stock upon the rails, the combination with a vehicle, and a rail upon which the wheels or the vehicle ride, of a casing se cured to the vehicle and arranged above the rail, said casing having lower open end and provided with an inturned annular bead, a cylinder having a flanged top arranged within the casing, a flange adapted to frictionally engage with the casing and the head of the casing adapted to frictionally engage with the cylinder, the cylinder being provided with a chamber and having plates extending below the chamber, arms arranged between the plates, said arms having their ends provided with inturned axles, antit'rictional members upon the axles and disposed below the head of the rail, a piston head within the chamber, said head having a stem extending through the chamber, a linl: loosely connected with each of the arms, said links being pivotally connected with the piston rod, the arms being formed with inturned fingers which have their ends provided with registering slots, apivoted con nection between the links and the piston stem, the said stem adapted to be normally received within the openings in the fingers, and the piston adapted to be moved through the medium of a fluid in two directions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4-. In a device for preventing the wheels of ro ling stool: leaving the rails, the combination of a vehicle and a rail for the wheels or the vehicle, of a casing connected with the vehicle and disposed above the rail, said casing having its lower open end provided with an inturned bead, and the said bead having frictional rings, a cylinder having a flanged top arranged within the casing, said flange having frictional rings adapted to contact with th casing, and the frictional rings of the bead adapted to contact with th cylinder, means for preventing the bead contacting with the flange, the cyl inder having a closed chamber, a piston head within the chamber, a piston rod for the head and extending below the chamber, the cylinder having spaced arms disposed below the chamber, oppositely disposed irregularly shaped a ms arranged between the plates and guided by the plates, means for forcing the arms toward each other and the ends of the arms into contact with each other, means provided upon the arms for limiting the spreading of the arms, antifrictional rollers carried by the arms and adapted to be arranged in juxtaposition with the under faces of the head of the rails, locking members for the arms, 2t spreading member connected with the piston and coacting with the locking members the chamher having upper and lower ports and flexible pipes leading from the ports, a fourwmy valve connected with the pipes and connectecl with a fluid pressure pipe, the casing being provided with upper and lower ports, the lower port being disposed. between the flange of the cylinder and the head of the casing, flexible pipes connected with these ports, a, four-way valve for these pipes, and said valve communicating with a fluid pressure pipe, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JOHNSON. Witnesses:

CHARLEY MYERS, ALBERT DBEVEN,

topics 0t thlt patent mey be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. G. 

